Thanks to £214,000 in funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project — created by ArtsEkta — will explore the rich cultural heritage of Belfast’s docklands, uncovering the stories of migration, trade and exchange that have shaped the city’s identity for over a century. The three-year project will gather oral histories, personal archives, and creative responses from communities connected to areas such as Sailortown, Little Italy, and the Half Bap. These neighbourhoods once thrived with people from Ireland, Scotland, England, Italy, India, China and beyond — making Belfast’s docks a place of vibrant intercultural exchange long before the term existed. Through storytelling, music, theatre, and digital art, Dockside Stories will highlight how Belfast’s past as a port city is deeply tied to global movement — of people, goods, and ideas — and how that legacy continues to shape the city’s character today

ArtsEkta Founder and CEO Nisha Tandon OBE added:

“Through Dockside Stories, we’re using creativity to explore how the past connects to who we are today — and how intercultural dialogue can build the Belfast of tomorrow. At ArtsEkta, we believe that intercultural projects like this are essential to understanding who we are as a society — they remind us that diversity is part of our shared DNA. By working with communities to tell their stories through art, music and memory, we’re not only preserving heritage — we’re strengthening the connections between people and celebrating the shared humanity that defines Belfast.”

Sailortown Regeneration have been key advisors throughout the project development and hosted today’s launch at St Joseph’s Church — a landmark site at the heart of the city’s dockside heritage.

Terry McKeown, Project Leader at Sailortown Regeneration said:

“We’re so proud to see Dockside Stories begin its journey here in Sailortown — the heart of Belfast’s maritime heritage and a community with stories that reach across the world.For us, this project is about giving voice to the people who built this place — the dockworkers, the families, the migrants who made Sailortown their home — and connecting their experiences to new generations.Working alongside ArtsEkta has shown how creativity can bring heritage to life, helping us celebrate the diversity, resilience and spirit that has always defined this community.”

The project brings together a network of other partners including Quarto Collective, Queen’s University Belfast, PRONI, the Maritime Belfast Trust, and Belfast City Council, ensuring that the work is rooted in community, supported by research, and connected to wider heritage regeneration initiatives.

Guests at the launch enjoyed a performance by Duo Zouk, featuring Greek musician Nikos Petsakos and Irish performer Martin Coyle, whose bouzouki music captures the spirit of cultural exchange and migration that defines the project.

Their performance symbolised how traditions travel across borders — just as the dockside communities of Belfast have always done.

Over the next three years, Dockside Stories will:

• Train local people in oral history, interpretation and digital archiving
• Collect and share personal and community stories
• Create new high-quality artistic works inspired by dockside heritage
• Deliver exhibitions, performances and events across the city

By blending research, creativity, and community participation, the project aims to build a living archive of Belfast’s shared and intercultural heritage.